How to photograph children at home and outdoors
Published: 29.11.2019
Photographing children is an exciting but very challenging process. Whether you want to start a career in portrait photography or simply want to capture moments in your own family, it is important to understand when and how to photograph children.
We have prepared great tips that will help you take excellent children's photos.
Photograph as it is, not as you want it to be.
The simplicity and complexity of shooting children lies in capturing them as they truly are. The best shots are often spontaneous. Adults are always trying to portray what they desire as reality, so they often pose in front of the camera in unnatural positions with artificial smiles. Children are always honest and content with themselves. They don't need to appear better than they are. They are wonderful just as they are.
Children do not falsify their emotions, so their photos stand out from the crowd. The natural environment for children is games, laughter, and smiles. A photographer should be ready for spontaneous shots. You, not they, should be ready to capture them.
Throw away the guidebook of best poses for photos
Allow children to behave naturally, as they always do. You can gently guide them, but if they don't understand your idea, just move on to something else. Always take photos, even if the shot is not perfect - otherwise the child may think they made a mistake and tense up in subsequent shots.
Communicate with children in their language
Establish harmonious relationships with the child. Joke with them, ask questions, use their ideas, and constantly communicate. Avoid extremes, don't ask children, "How are things at school or daycare?" Instead, ask what they enjoy doing, who they like to talk to, and learn as much as possible about them. This way, you will get an idea of what they like. Use this information during the shoot. By building a trusting relationship with the child, you will capture perfect shots.
Return to childhood
During the photoshoot, become a little child again, allow yourself to relax, joke around and act silly. Make the child laugh, sing a song to them or dance for them.
Create a Light album from your cool photos. You don't need to print the photos separately for this. We will print your photos directly on the pages of the Light album. Upload your images to the free editor Mapi7 and create a themed Light album. You can upload photos from your phone.
Get off your high horse
Obviously, you are taller than any child you are going to photograph. Do not look down on your models. When shooting adults, you need to be very careful about their poses. With children, it's much easier - you need to capture a genuine facial expression or a warm moment, and for that you will have to lower yourself as much as possible. This way, you will be able to create an image connected with the child.
Do not tire the children
If the lens of your camera or phone does not have a professional child model, the shooting should not last more than an hour. It is necessary to monitor the child's condition and stop shooting at the first signs of fatigue.
When photographing children, time is priceless, so don't waste it on your equipment, don't focus on the back of the camera, don't get distracted by phone calls and messages.
You must know your photography equipment inside and out and understand how to take a quality shot. Keep moving and taking photos constantly. Your goal is to capture as many unique children's photos as possible in a short period of time.
Long live naturalness
A studio can scare a child. So if your photo is not commercial, do not use a studio. Most children will not sit still while you try to set up lighting, so forget about using high-speed or studio lighting. Find quiet places outdoors with good light and shadows. Of course, for a moody black and white effect, you can shoot indoors at any time during the day, but if you are looking for a dreamy, otherworldly look, photograph children outdoors in the daylight.
Give preference to a natural environment (park, playground, home) without spotlights and softboxes, as the raw emotions of children should be reflected in natural light.
For maximum effect, use wide aperture openings.
Use a aperture of at least F2. Use the largest aperture possible, especially when shooting outside the industrial part of the city. This technique, combined with an 85mm lens and enough space between the child and the background, will result in a dreamy effect in the photo. Also, be prepared to increase the ISO to achieve a shutter speed of at least 1/160, because children move much faster than you think.
Practice with family and friends.
If you want to start making money by taking portraits of your child, be prepared to spend some time. Photographing the children of your friends is a great practice. You will spend a lot of time, but you will truly learn how to communicate and work with children.
Get permission
Be careful with ethical norms when photographing other people's children. It is advisable to take pictures of a child in the presence of one of the parents or guardians. Ask them to watch you from a distance so that you can work with the child freely without any distractions.
Every photo is a masterpiece! Don't hide unique shots in your phones and cameras from viewers. A worthy way to showcase your talent and preserve memories is to print photos on canvas.
The most important advice
Take photos with joy and pleasure. Your main task is to make the children have fun. Once they enjoy themselves, they will give you priceless shots. Feel the environment around the children, feel their emotions, then choose the right lens, compose the shot, and press the camera shutter button.
You must be sincere with children, then they will eagerly await the finished photos.
